End-gate.



A. L. NICHOLSON.

END GATE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE so, 1913.

Patented May 5, 19%

i I lower portion of the gate may be locked in UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO L. NICHOLSON, 0F ROCKWELL CITY, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO EDWIN W. BURCH ANI ONE-THIRD CITY, IOW'A.

TO HENRY A. MURPHY, 0F ROCKW'ELL" END-GATE.

Specification of Application filedJ'llIle 30,

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ALoNzo L. NICHOLSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rockwell City, in the county of Calhoun and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful End-Gate, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an end gate of simple, durable and lnexpensive construction, of the type in which the position or may be quickly and easil y released to permit small grain and the like to be unloaded from a wagon. v V -More particularly it is my object to provide an end gate made in two parts, divided on a horizontal line and hinged to each, other, and provided with means whereby the lower part may be locked to a wagon bed and with means for releasing the locking -means and raising the lower part of the end like 13.

gate by the operation of a single lever.

Still a further object is to provide a new and'novel means for hinging the two'portions of the end gate together and for locking the lower portion to a wagon bed.

My invention consists. in certain details, in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch Figure 1 shows a rear elevation of a wagon bed having installed therein an end gate, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows a detail view of a portion of the front surface of my, improved end gate. Fig. 3 shows a transverse sectional detailview, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, the lower portion of the end gate being raised, and Fig. 4 Sl10\ s a transverse sectional detail view of my im proved end gate and a portion of the wagon bed, taken on the line 4+4 of Fig. 1, showing the end gate in its closed position.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate an ordinary wagon bed on which are side boards 11. The sides of the body 10 and the side boards 11 are provided witli'the ordinary double cleats 12 to receive the ends of the end gate. The upper portion of my improved end gate comprises an ordinary board or the Secured to the ends of the board 13, on the side adjacent to the interior of the Lett rs P n Patent'od May 5, 1.9141. 1913. Serial No. 776,720.

wagon bed are upright members 14 which having an opening to receive the end gate rod 16, for fastening the end gate to the wagon. On the rear surface of the member 13, near the ends thereof, are upright strips or plates 17, preferably of iron. The strips 17 extend beyond the member 13 at their lower ends. A notch is cut from the middle of the lower end of each strip 17 and thetongues or extensions then remaining on each side of the notcli are bent to form cylinders or bearings, 18 below the member 13. Below the member 13 is a board 19 which is short enough to rest between the sides of the wagon board 10 and between the outer cleats 12 on each side' of the wagon bed. On the rear surface of the board 19 are upright strips or plates 20 arranged in line with the respective strips 17 At their upper ends the strips 20 extend beyond the board 19. Notches are cut out from the corners of the strips 19 at their upper ends and the central portion of each of said strips is then bent to form a cylinder or bearing 21, Which is received between the bearings 18 of one of the upper strips 17. A horizontal rod 22 extends across the back of the end gate and is mounted in the bearings 18 and 21. The ends of the rod 22 are bent around to form portions 23, which are parallel to the body of the rod 22.- The portions 23 are preferably somewhat below the level of the rod 22 and are also spaced apart rearwardly from theend gate. The lower ends 24 of the plates 20 are bent rearwardly at right angles to the bodies of said plates and each of said ends 2a is provided with a vertical opening are mounted extensible coil springs 2 for normally holding the rods 26 at the lower limit of theirmovement.

The lower ends of the rods 26 form catch from the notches or slots 29 and the hoard i 19 may be swung rearwardly and upwardly on its hinged points. It will also be seen that when the handle 31 is raised far enough the member .19 will be swung outwardly a short distance and it may then be grasped by the lower edge and swung upwardly as far as desired. Pivotally secured to the board 19 is a rod 32 having at its free end a hook 33, designed to-engage theend gate rod; 16, as shown in Fig. 3, when the end gate member 19 is raised.

In the practical use of my improved end gate the members 14; are slid between the cleats 12 from the top downwardly until the end gate is in position. The rods 26 then i enter the slots 29 and the end gate is locked for use'for hauling small grain, shell corn and the like. Where the grain is unloaded at an elevator or at any. place where the grain may be conveniently dumped from the rear endof the wagon, the handle 31 is raised until the lower end of the rods 26 are withdrawn from the slots 29. The end gate member 19 may then be raised and supported in its raised position by means ofthe rod 32 and hook member 33 and the rod 16.

My improved end gate is of simple and comparatively inexpensive construction. The strips 17 enable me to dispense with the ordinary wooden reinforcing stri s. They firmly reinforce the members 135 d 19 and at the same time form bearings for the rod 22 which serves as a hinge pin -for each hine'o. The members 17 and 20 may be very rapidly and cheaply constructed by stamping from sheet metal with dies. The outer ends of the rod 22 also serve as cranks to which the links 30 are secured. On account of the construction of the parts 17 and 20 and the rod 18, the bearings 18 and 21 are always properly in line and my end gate never binds and rarely gets out of working order.

It will. be understood that some changes may be made in the details of the construction of my device and that it is my intention to cover by this application any such changes which may be included within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

An end gate comprising an upper horizontal member, a lower end gate member below said first member, upright strips on said first member having bearings formed at their lower ends, upright strips on said second member having bearings formed at their upper ends in line with the bearings formed on said first strips, a rod rotatably mounted in said bearings and having its ends bent to form portions substantially parallel with the body of said rod, and normally below the level of said rod, rods slidably mounted on said lower strips means for yieldingly holding said rods at the lower limit of their movement and links pivoted to the upper ends of said rods and to said parallel portions so that when said first rod is rotated, saidparalhi'; portions draw said links upwardly.

Des Moines, Iowa, June 18, 1913.

ALONZO L. NICHOLSON.

Witnesses F. P. HUFF, 'W. A. SUNDBURY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, 10. 

